This application claims the priority of German application 196 50 593.3, the disclosure of which is expressly incorporated by reference herein.
The invention relates to a rollover protection system for a passenger car, particularly a convertible.
Several rollover protection systems of this type are known. In the case of a system according to German Patent Document DE 39 30 171 C2 and European Patent Document EP 0 456 646 B1, the rollover bar is arranged in the backrest and, in the inoperative position, extends with its upper outer contour flush with respect to the adjoining contour of the head rest. In both cases, in the event of a rollover, the rollover protection body or the rollover bar is supported by way of the supporting structure of the backrest with respect to the vehicle body. On the one hand, this saves space since not only the headrest but also the rollover bar, because of the integration into the seat backrest, do not have to be housed separately in the vehicle and be supported with respect to the vehicle. On the other hand, considerable expenditures are required at the adjusting rails, in the adjusting joints and adjusting motors as well as in its supporting structure.
Furthermore, it is known from European Patent Document EP 0 407 741 A2 and European Patent Document EP 0435 565 B1 to mount an additional cushioning, which serves as a headrest, on the uppermost section of the rollover bar.
From German Patent Document DE 38 22 461 C2, it is finally also known to arrange and support a vertically displaceable headrest in a vertically displaceable manner on the legs of a U-shaped rollover bar.
Objects of the invention are to provide an arrangement of a rollover bar and of a headrest in a passenger car which is attractive in its design, requires little space and nevertheless permits a high operational reliability of the rollover bar as well as of the headrest.
These and other objects have been achieved according to the present invention by providing rollover protection system for a motor vehicle, comprising; a headrest assigned to a vehicle seat; and a rollover bar which can be displaced at least approximately translationally from a lowered inoperative position upwards into a supporting position, an upper section of the rollover bar being integrated into the headrest of the vehicle seat in the inoperative position, the headrest having a recess which is open toward the bottom and in which said upper section of the rollover bar is accommodated in the inoperative position.
Since the rollover bar extends at its upper section into the recess of the headrest, on the one hand, a particularly space-saving housing is provided because it can be placed very closely behind the supporting body and the cushioning of the headrest. The presence of a rollover bar is not visible from the outside. Also, no separate covers, which may have an aesthetically disturbing effect, are to be provided in the covering in the zone taken up by the rollover bar.
By means of the direct support of the rollover bar, or a cassette which receives and carries the rollover bar, on the vehicle body, the expenditures can be eliminated which, in the case of the closest state of the art, are required with respect to the stability of the backrest structure, the adjusting elements of the whole seat and at the inclination adjusting mechanism.
The rollover bar, which inherently has a high stability, in the event of certain load conditions, can also very effectively additionally support the headrest. For this purpose, the supporting body for the headrest cushion must be appropriately designed such that a support basis of the headrest with respect to the upper section of the rollover bar which is as large as possible is ensured, on which, in the event of a high loading of the headrest from the front, a stable force transmission takes place from the headrest to the rollover bar.
Other objects, advantages and novel features of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of the invention when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.